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Consumer concern over the quality and safety of conventional food has intensified in recent years

Apparently, one of the primary reasons for purchasing organic food is the perception that it is more nutritious than conventional food. Given the increasing interest towards organic food products, it is imperative to review the existing literature concerning the nutritional value of the produce, and to determine to what extent are consumer expectations met. There are only few well-controlled studies that are capable of making a valid comparison and, therefore, compilation of the results is difficult and generalisation of the conclusions should be made with caution. In spite of these limitations, however, some differences can be identified. Although there is little evidence that organic and conventional foods differ in respect to the concentrations of the various micronutrients (vitamins, minerals and trace elements), there seems to be a slight trend towards higher ascorbic acid content in organically grown leafy vegetables and potatoes. There is also a trend towards lower protein concentration but of higher quality in some organic vegetables and cereal crops. With respect to the rest of the nutrients and the other food groups, existing evidence is inadequate to allow for valid conclusions. Finally, animal feeding experiments indicate that animal health and reproductive performance are slightly improved when they are organically fed. A similar finding has not yet been identified in humans. Several important directions can be highlighted for future research; it seems, however, that despite any differences, a well-balanced diet can equally improve health regardless of its organic or conventional origin.

The scientific community has long been interested in the overall quality of diets owing to the fact that it is important for each individual's health through a healthy, varied, and balanced diet. Much research has been conducted on methods used to measure dietary quality. These studies led to the determination of numerous indices, some very simple and some much more complex. Indices that examine diets for several attributes concurrently are able to provide a measure of overall diet quality that is not possible when only single nutrients or food groups are examined. Using these indices, diet quality may be evaluated in relation to nutrient adequacy, compliance with dietary guidelines, or nutrition recommendations, association with risk of chronic diseases, or mortality, and used to assess interventions. However, there are several factors that should be taken into consideration for the design of an index, like the purpose of its use, as well as its simplicity in daily practice. The general purpose of an index is to synthesize a large amount of information into a single useful indicator. The purpose of this review was to present and to critically review the most commonly used dietary indices, and how they reflect various aspects of diet quality. The majority of these indices fail to recognize the various inter-relationships between their components, as well as their accuracy for estimating specific health outcomes. Thus, the development of weighted dietary indices that adequately assess a dietary pattern and its relationship to the burden of a disease is considered essential.

Epidemiological studies have shown several associations between asthma symptoms and dietary factors. The aim of this work was to evaluate the relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and childhood asthma. A cross-sectional analysis was performed on 700 children (323 boys), 10-12 yr old, selected from 18 schools located in Athens greater area. Children and their parents completed questionnaires, which evaluated, among others, dietary habits. Asthma was defined according to ISAAC II criteria. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was evaluated using the KIDMED score (theoretical range 0-12). Higher KIDMED score corresponds to greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet was inversely associated with ever had wheeze (p = 0.001), exercise wheeze (p = 0.004), ever had diagnosed asthma (p = 0.002) and with any asthma symptoms (p < 0.001). One-unit increase in the KIDMED score was associated with 14% lower likelihood of having asthma symptoms (odds ratio = 0.86, 95% confidence interval 0.75-0.98), after adjusting for various confounders. No significant associations were found between asthma symptoms and consumption of fruits (p = 0.25), vegetables (p = 0.97), legumes (p = 0.76), cereals (p = 0.71), dairy (p = 0.61), salty snacks (p = 0.53), or margarine/butter (p = 0.42) consumption, while increased fish and meat intake was associated with less asthma symptoms (p = 0.04 and p = 0.01, respectively). Our findings suggest an inverse relationship between level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet and prevalence of asthma in school-aged children.

The demand for organic foods is constantly increasing mainly due to consumers' perception that they are healthier and safer than conventional foods. There is a need for information related to food safety to inform consumers of the health benefits and/or hazards of food products of both origins, in order to optimise the impact on health and minimise the risks. Several gaps and limitations in scientific knowledge with regard to food risk evaluation make it difficult to draw generalised conclusions. Still, some organic foods can be expected to contain fewer agrochemical residues and lower levels of nitrate than conventionally grown alternatives. On the other hand, environmental contaminants are equally present in foods of both origins. With regard to other food hazards, such as natural chemicals, microbial pathogens and mycotoxins, no clear conclusions can be drawn, although several interesting points can be highlighted. It is difficult, therefore, to weigh the risks, but what should be made clear to consumers is that 'organic' does not equal 'safe'. If producers adopt proper agricultural practices and consumers maintain hygienic conditions, risks associated with food contaminants can be minimised, regardless of the food's organic or conventional origin.

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Objective: Although there are several dietary guidelines accepted at the international and national level, there are indications that dietary habits in Greece have been changing, moving away from the traditional Mediterranean diet pattern. The aim of this work was to evaluate the dietary habits of a randomly selected sample from the general adult population, in Greece. Subjects: The "ATTICA" study is a prospective health and nutrition survey. For the purpose of this study, 3,042 adults, from whom 1514 were men (48%) and 1,528 were women (52%), were selected from the greater Athens area during 2001 and 2002. The assessment of the dietary habits was carried out using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Results: Dietary intakes of red meat and sweets were higher (p<0.005), and dietary intakes of fish, poultry, dairy products, vegetables, and cereals were lower (p<0.05) than the ones recommended by the Hellenic Ministry of Health. Conclusion: The results from the present study indicate a change in the dietary habits towards an unhealthier type of diet.